Ex-aide to New York Governor Cuomo found guilty of taking bribes

Source: Reuters

U.S.MARCH 13, 2018 / 1:17 PM / UPDATED 39 MINUTES AGO

Brendan Pierson

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former aide to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was found guilty by a Manhattan jury on Tuesday of agreeing to take bribes from executives at two companies seeking to do business with the state government, federal prosecutors said.

The verdict against Joseph Percoco is the highest-profile federal corruption conviction in New York since the 2015 convictions of two former leading state legislators, which were later overturned. Percoco’s lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment.

Cuomo, a Democrat who is up for reelection this year, has not been charged with wrongdoing.

Percoco was indicted on bribery and conspiracy charges in November 2016. Prosecutors said he took bribes from Peter Galbraith Kelly, an executive at the energy company Competitive Power Ventures, and from Steven Aiello and Joseph Gerardi, founders of the real estate company Cor Development.